Enduro Balansa Clover

Enduro is an aerial seeding, self regenerating annual pasture legume originating from South Africa derived from Paradana germplasm with selection for early maturity and winter active growth. Enduro is an early maturing Balansa clover with Frontier-type maturity, developed for the 350-500mm rainfall areas. Enduro provides valuable grazing for livestock produces bulky hay crops and improves crop yields through nitrogen fixation. Enduro is well suited to a range of farming systems.

Early maturing, two weeks earlier than Paradana

Improved winter growth over all other Balansa cultivars

High dry matter production

Recovers strongly from heavy grazing

Excellent regeneration from high seed yields and hard seed levels

Tolerates water logging and mild soil salinity

Broad adaptation to a variety of soil types

Ideal legume for nitrogen fixation in cropping rotations

Seed agronomy table

Maturity

Early

Min Rainfall

350

Hard Seededness

High

Seeding Rate

Kg/Ha

Dryland

4-6

High Rainfall / Irrigation

8-12

Enterprises for this Seed

SheepBeef CattleHorseHay & Silage

Strengths

Sets large amounts of seed.

Hardseeded in cool climates.

Excellent waterlogging tolerance.

Adapted to a wide range of soil types and pH ranges.

Mild salinity tolerance.

Tolerant of clover scorch.

Regenerates well on suitable soils under appropriate grazing management.

Limitations

Not suited to deep infertile sands.

Not suited to moderate-high soil salinity.

Slow establishment in the first year if sown under cold conditions.

Plant Description

Leaves: Comprise three hairless leaflets, of varying size, shape and leaf marking. Leaflet margins can be smooth or serrated. Some leaflets are plain green while others have white to silver, pink or purple markings.

Flowers: Borne in clusters in a globose flower-head 2 - 3 cm in diameter, each comprising up to 45 small white-pink flowers.

Pasture type and use

Used as a component of permanent pastures, or in hay mixtures.

Where it grows

Rainfall: Balansa clover is adapted to temperate climates with annual rainfall of 350 - 800 mm. Early flowering varieties are suited to lower rainfall zone, and later flowering varieties to higher rainfall areas. It can be grown successfully under irrigation.

Soils: Balansa clover grows across a diverse range of soil types, preferring soils of moderate to high fertility that are prone to waterlogging. It is not suited to deep sandy soils. It is adapted to acid and alkaline soils (pH water 5.4 - 9.0) although performs best where pH is below 8.3. Although displaying excellent tolerance of waterlogging, it has only low to moderate salt tolerance.

Temperature: Widely adapted to the agricultural areas of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. Good frost tolerance.

Establishment

Legumes: medics, gland clover, persian clover, subterranean clover (particularly ssp. yanninicum). It is often sown in a mix with subterranean clover, if parts of the paddock are poorly drained or subject to waterlogging over winter.

Grazing/cutting: Balansa clover can be lightly grazed in the first year. Care is needed to limit grazing pressure during flowering to ensure adequate seed set. Paddocks should not be "crash" grazed or cut for hay in the first year if the stand is expected to regenerate. However, plant residue should be grazed over summer to encourage hardseed breakdown and maximise regeneration. It can be used for both continuous and rotational grazing but persistence is better under the former. It remains relatively prostrate when continuously grazed and is very tolerant of regular defoliation while young. Left ungrazed it will grow up to 1 metre tall in spring, the stems collapsing and growing horizontally. It does not recover well from a late cut or grazing when stems are large and the plants tall and flowering. Very little seed will be produced if mature flowering stands are hard-grazed.

Ability to spread: Spreads by seed either by livestock or by movement of hay.

Weed potential: Despite its ability to spread from seed, there is little evidence of it becoming an environmental weed. This is likely to be due to its preference for moderate-high fertility soils and specific rhizobial requirements.

Major pests: Balansa clover is very susceptible to red legged earth mite, particularly at establishment. Lucerne flea can damage stands, mainly during the warmer months. Aphids, particularly blue green aphids, can cause damage in warmer regions where they are more active.

Major diseases: It is susceptible to root rots during establishment, particularly if sown late under cold, wet conditions. It is tolerant of clover scorch.

Herbicide susceptibility: Refer to chemical labels for suitability and recommended rates for herbicides registered for use on balansa clover.

Animal production

Feeding value: Balansa clover provides excellent green feed, and although quality reduces after maturity, but remains sufficient to ensure satisfactory animal production over summer e.g. crude protein levels in the dry matter at the very early bud stage may be over 20% and digestibility about 80%; within 4 weeks, these values may drop to about 15% and 70% respectively. In the same period, metabolisable energy may drop from around 11.5 to 10 MJ/kg DM.

Palatability: Readily consumed by livestock, either as green or dry feed.

Production potential: Capable of excellent productivity. Later-flowering varieties capable of higher total annual production in long-season environments.